1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to air transport systems for homes, office buildings and other structures and more particularly, to a specially designed damper and register box apparatus which can be used with substantially any air transport system to control the delivery of air in a structure. The damper of this invention can be used in any register box system and is characterized by a damper plate of appropriate shape which is fitted with a pair of oppositely-disposed mount tabs attached to the damper plate by means of fixed tab connectors. The damper plate is designed to mount in one end of an air duct located in the register box by engaging duct fingers provided on the air duct with the mount tabs extending from the damper plate. The damper plate is oriented in an air delivery opening which coincides with the bore of the air duct and the tab connectors are mechanically deformed to orient the damper in the air delivery opening at any desired angle, from a fully closed, to a fully open position. Since there is no linkage or adjusting mechanism associated with the damper or register box of this invention, the manually adjustable, air-regulating damper plate stays in a predetermined position to adjust the flow of air through the air delivery opening and register box in a positive manner. Furthermore, since the damper need not be adjusted frequently, no problem exists with regard to metal fatigue of the tab connectors which secure the damper in the air delivery opening of the air duct. Due to the absence of elaborate linkage and adjusting mechanisms in favor of a simple, manually adjusted damper system, the cost of the damper and associated register box is low, as compared to existing air balancing systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different techniques have been devised in the prior art to balance the air delivery systems in homes, offices, and other structures. An early patent pertinent to this art is U.S. Pat. No. 363,181, dated May 17, 1887, to H. K. Tallmage entitled "Combined Register, Border and Box". The Tallmage device includes a register which is characterized by a top and border plate having a central open portion and a sideway in combination with a box portion, a circular rim with a pivoted damper adapted to work in the rim and a pivoted connecting rod which is attached to the damper and is designed to adjust the damper to an open, closed or partially open position with respect to the rim. U.S. Pat. No. 380,145, dated Mar. 27, 1888, to Jay Springer, discloses a "Hot Air Register". The Springer device is characterized by a box-like structure having a perforated plate on the top thereof and including a toothed wheel rotatably secured inside the box. A linkage system is attached to a damper mounted in the throat of the hot air register, whereby rotation of the toothed wheel by manual adjustment causes the damper to open and close in the register throat. A similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 405,620, dated June 18, 1889, to H. K. Tallmage, entitled "Hot Air Register". This air handling device includes a register box and a damper arranged in a lower portion of the register box, with a removable top plate positioned at the upper end of the register box. The damper and adjusting pin are located so as to permit removal of the top plate without the necessity of disconnecting the damper operating mechanism. A "Register" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 633,455, dated Sept. 19, 1899 to C. S. Hood. The Hood register includes a fretwork surface plate, a register box provided with a sleeve to connect with a heater pipe, a butterfly valve or damper pivoted in the sleeve and an operating lever pivoted in the register box. One arm of the lever projects through a slot in the surface plate and the other end is fitted with a lateral bend, whereby the angled end is brought into operative engagement with a segment of the valve and is caused to travel in an arc transverse to the valve in several positions to adjust the damper. U.S. Pat. No. 1,151,359, dated Aug. 24, 1915, also to C. S. Hood, discloses a "Register" which is characterized by a register box formed of sheet metal and having an apertured bottom, with an angular collar located below the box and adapted for connection to a supply pipe. The collar is provided with an inwardly directed bead which receives the box bottom at the periphery of the aperture and serves to rigidly connect the collar to the box.
One of the problems realized in the use of conventional register box and damper combinations for adjusting the air flow to various points in a structure, is that of complexity. Typically, dampers are mounted in the throats of register boxes and air distribution ductwork with a pivoting function which is controlled by an elaborate adjusting mechanism in association with the dampers, to fully open, fully close, or partially open the dampers. Many of these connecting linkages and mechanisms are automatic in operation and are subject to frequent malfunction, depending upon the complexity of the automation used to control the damper. Some of the currently used mechanisms are manual in operation and in such cases, the damper is normally positioned in the ductwork or register box by means of a pin. However, use of a pin-mounted damper generally results in a "fluttering" of the damper in the air transport system, a condition which sometimes causes objectionable noise and reduces air handling efficiency. This problem is intensified under circumstances where the damper is substantially in the closed position, since air pressure in the ductwork or register box at the location of the damper is highest when the damper is this configuration. Other problems sometimes realized in conventional damper systems is the requirement of frequent lubrication of the linkage assemblies and systems, in order to insure acceptable operation. Lubrication is normally required, since ductwork and register boxes which utilize dampers are normally located in the attic or in a crawl space in the structure where dust and debris accumulate on all exposed controls and linkage systems.
Accordingly, it is object of this invention to provide a new and improved damper for register boxes, which damper is characterized by a damper plate fitted with oppositely-disposed mount tabs and deformable tab connectors, with the damper plate adjustable mounted in the register box throat by mechanical deformation of the tab connectors which attach the damper plate to the register box.
Another object of the invention is to provide a damper which is characterized by a round damper plate and a pair of mount tabs secured to opposite sides of the damper plate by means of fixed tab connectors, which are mechanically deformed to adjust the damper inside the register box in any angular position with respect to the mount tabs.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved damper for register boxes, which damper includes a damper plate having a configuration which is compatible with the air handling system associated with the register box chosen, which damper plate is fitted with oppositely-disposed mount tabs secured to the damper plate by metal tab connectors which are mechanically deformed to facilitate adjustment of the damper in substantially any angular location with respect to the mount tabs and the register box.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a damper for a register box, which damper includes a generally circular metal damper plate provided with oppositely-disposed, extending mount tabs and bendable tab connectors integrally formed with the damper plate, and the damper plate secured in the throat or air duct of a register box by means of fingers which engage the tab connectors, the damper adjusted with respect to the air duct by mechanically bending the tab connectors.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved register box for air handling systems, which register box includes a box frame having an air supply duct extending therein with metal fingers projecting from the air supply duct. Further included is a damper characterized by a damper plate with oppositely-disposed metal tabs and tab connectors, the tabs engaged by the metal fingers of the air supply duct to mount the damper in the register box frame and facilitate adjustment of the damper by bending the tab connectors.